The parable of good and bad tree in Qur’an for mankind to take heed

Al Qur’an in addition to direct directives also uses stories of the past people and parables to let people understand Divine instructions better. Today, we share a parable of a good tree and a bad tree to explain the contrast between true faith (īmān) and falsehood (kufr/shirk).

The Parable in the Qur’an

The parable of good and bad tree is mentioned in Surah Ibrāhīm (14:24–26) as under:

“Do you not see how Allah compares a good word to a good tree — firmly rooted, with its branches reaching the sky, giving its fruit at all times by the permission of its Lord? And the example of a bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, having no stability.”

Meaning of the Parable

Let us understand the parable for its better understanding and adaptability:

• The Good Tree (Shajarat Ṭayyibah):
• Represents pure faith, the word of tawḥīd (Lā ilāha illā Allāh), or righteous speech and deeds.
• The roots of the good tree represent deep conviction and sincerity in the heart.
• The branches indicate good deeds, character, influence reaching others.
• And the fruit of a good tree mean benefit to self and community, continuous reward.
• That is, the pure word is so fruitful that every person (or community) who bases his system of life on it, gets benefit from it every moment for it helps to produce clearness in thought, balance in temperament, strength in character, purity in morals, firmness in conduct, righteousness in talk, straightforwardness in conversation, good temperament in social behavior, nobility in culture, justice and equity in economy, honesty in politics, nobility in war, sincerity in peace; confidence in promises and pledges. In short, it is the elixir that changes everything into gold if one makes the proper use of it. 
• The Bad Tree (Shajarat Khabeethah): 
• A bad tree represents false beliefs, shirk, lies, hypocrisy.
• Having dried up, it has no more strong foundation and can be easily uprooted, the same way a liar always gets caught no much how much he tries to hide his lies.
• A bad tree since produces no fruit or has a shade, it has no benefit, only harm, and does not last.
• Good Word
• Though the expression literally means pure word, here it stands for truthful saying and righteous creed. According to the Quran, this saying and creed are the acceptance of the doctrine of Tauhid, belief in Prophethood and revelation, and in the life of the Hereafter, for it declares these things to be the fundamental truths.
• This is to show the strength and extent of the pure word. As the entire system of the universe hangs upon the reality contained in this pure word which the believer professes, the earth and its entire system cooperates with him and the heaven with its entire system welcomes him. There is, therefore, no conflict between him and the law of nature, and everything in its very nature extends its help to him.
• The Evil word
• Evil word is the opposite of pure word. It may be applied to everything that is unreal and wrong but here it stands for any false creed that one might adopt as a basis of his system of life, irrespective of whether it be atheism or heresy or disbelief or shirk or idol worship or any other ism that has not been brought by a Messenger.
• And evil word (false creed) has no stability because it is against the law of nature. Therefore, everything in the universe opposes it and refutes it, as if the earth hates it and is ready to spit out its seeds every time they are sown in it, and if some seed succeeds in growing an evil tree, heaven suppresses down its branches. In fact, false creed could never have been allowed to develop, if man had not been given the freedom of choice and respite for work for the sake of his trial. That is why when same foolish people exert to establish a system of life on it, it is allowed to grow to a certain extent, but it produces nothing but harmful results as long as it lasts. And no sooner does it encounter with adverse circumstances than it is thoroughly uprooted from the earth.

Thus, the distinction between the pure word and the evil word is so apparent that anyone who makes a critical study of the religious, moral, intellectual and cultural history of the world can perceive it easily. For the pure word has always been the one and same during the whole history of mankind and has never been uprooted. On the contrary, there have been innumerable evil words but each and every one has been so uprooted that there has remained hardly anything of it except its name in the pages of history. Nay, some of these had proved to be so absurd that if these are mentioned today one wonders how one could have followed such nonsensical things.

There has been another noteworthy difference between the two words. Whenever and wherever the pure word has been adopted by an individual or a community, its blessings had not been confined to that individual and community but had benefited all around them. On the contrary, whenever and wherever an evil word has been adopted by an individual or a community, its evils had spread chaos and disorder all around them.

In this connection, it should also be noted that the parable of the pure word and the evil word explains the same theme that had been explained by the similitude of the mound of ashes that is blown away by the wind of the stormy day (Ayat 18) and of the foam of flood, and the scum of the melted metals.

Context of Revelation

Surah Ibrāhīm was revealed in Makkah when the Prophet ﷺ was facing mockery and resistance. The parable was meant to encourage believers that Islam, though appearing small then, would grow strong and fruitful like the good tree. In fact, it was also a warning to Quraysh that their falsehood was like a weak tree destined to perish.

Lessons for Us Today

• Faith must be deeply rooted — mere words without conviction are like a shallow plant that withers.
• Actions prove faith — like a tree giving fruit, a believer should spread benefit to society.
• Words matter — both good and bad speech have lasting impact.
• False ideologies don’t last — lies, oppression, and injustice may appear strong but collapse over time.
• Legacy of values — just as a tree provides fruit for generations, sincere deeds outlive us.

To sum the verse, in today’s life:

• A person living with honesty, integrity, and faith is like the good tree — strong, beneficial, and remembered.
• A person driven by corruption, arrogance, or deceit is like the bad tree — eventually cut off and forgotten.

Blessed are those who heed to these parables and stories to understand the Divine commandments and steer their lives like a good tree.

We have already shared many other important verses from Surah 14. Ibrāhīm "إبراهيم" (Prophet Abraham عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), which may be accessed for more information and Divine guiding commandments and instructions.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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Which is Precious: More on Judgement Day or Less in Earthly life? - Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Most people, no matter which religion or faith they belong to, understand that there is a life after this life: a life when man will be held accountable for all the bad deeds and rewarded for all the good deeds he did during his earthly life. Like these many, Muslims also believe firmly on the Day of resurrection and the Day of Judgement. These two events have been oft mentioned in Qur'an and talked of by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The sole purpose of man in his life should be faith in one true God, we call Allah, and all good acts be taken to please Allah and no one else. This also means worship of Allah and bowing no one else except He. These are small acts that have far more greater dividends than the bundles of acts to please one's worldly deities and idols.

This has been explicitly mentioned in one of the hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, mentioned in Sahi Bukhari as Hadith number 6557 in Book number 81: To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq), and Chapter number 51: The description of Paradise and the Fire, shared herein under:

Narrated by Anas bin Malik:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah will say to the person who will have the minimum punishment in the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, 'If you had things equal to whatever is on the earth, would you ransom yourself (from the punishment) with it?' He will reply, Yes. Allah will say, 'I asked you a much easier thing than this while you were in the backbone of Adam, that is, not to worship others besides Me, but you refused and insisted to worship others besides Me."'

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لأَهْوَنِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَوْ أَنَّ لَكَ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ مِنْ شَىْءٍ أَكُنْتَ تَفْتَدِي بِهِ فَيَقُولُ نَعَمْ‏.‏ فَيَقُولُ أَرَدْتُ مِنْكَ أَهْوَنَ مِنْ هَذَا وَأَنْتَ فِي صُلْبِ آدَمَ أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكَ بِي شَيْئًا فَأَبَيْتَ إِلاَّ أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي ‏"‏‏.‏

This hadith describes a person who, although destined for Hellfire, receives the least punishment (i.e. a minimal portion of torment), because perhaps his sins are less severe or he had some merit. Allah will offer this person all the wealth and possessions of the world (“things equal to whatever is on the earth”) as a ransom to escape even that minimal punishment. The person would naturally respond affirmatively, saying he wishes he could give up everything to avoid it.

However, Allah reminds that He had already asked something much easier from him far earlier—namely, to worship none except Allah (i.e. to maintain pure Tawḥīd) — a command made at the very inception of mankind (in the “backbone of Adam” i.e. from the start of human responsibility). But that person refused or neglected that simple fundamental duty, choosing shirk (associating partners with Allah), and thus must face the consequences.

Related Qur’anic Verses

Qur'an warns and cautions man to abstain from Shirk and worship Allah alone without any link to worldly deities or even prophets. Here are some Qur’anic verses that resonate with the themes of this hadith:

• Shirk (associating partners with Allah) as the gravest sin: “Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills…” (Qur’an 4:48)
• Knowing what was asked but still choosing disobedience: 
• “And We did not send any messenger before you but We revealed to him that there is no deity except Me, so worship Me.” (Qur’an 21:25)
• This is close to what Allah says in the hadith: the easiest thing — pure worship — was demanded from the start.
• Warning about opportunity for repentance and the Day of Judgment:
• “O mankind, if you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] We created you from dust... and He will resurrect you another time.” (Qur’an 22:5)
• “And whoever comes with a good deed will have better than it, and they, from the terror of that Day, will be safe.” (Qur’an 27:89)

Lessons & Applications for Us Today

This hadith has many profound implications for personal faith and community life:

• Fundamental Tawḥīd is non-negotiable: Worshiping Allah alone is the most basic requirement. If one ignores that, no amount of wealth or good deeds can avert the consequence of shirk.
• Avoid delaying or minimizing key obligations: Many people may think “I’ll do good deeds later,” or “It’s easier to start with small things,” but neglecting foundational matters (like Tawḥīd, sincerity) is dangerous.
• Reminder of how easy the test was, but how serious the consequences are: The hadith reminds us that Allah’s commands are not burdensome; they are simple. But neglecting the simple commands can lead to severe results.
• Value what seems small: Often, people undervalue remembrance of Allah, purity in belief, sincere worship. But those small acts or simple beliefs could be what distinguish true faith from loss.
• Motivation for early repentance: If someone thinks they can trade everything to escape punishment later, they should realize it’s far better to correct their path now.
• Focus on what matters most: In a world obsessed with accumulating wealth, status, and possessions, this hadith reminds us that what matters most is one’s relationship with Allah—especially worshiping Him alone.
• Humility: Acknowledging that all of us are accountable—even the one with “least punishment” will regret not having done what was easier earlier.

Summary

So, putting it all together:

• Hadith text: Allah asking one with minimal punishment if they would offer everything they have to escape it; reminder that earlier He asked something far simpler (to avoid shirk), but they refused.
• Connected Qur’anic themes: Tawḥīd, the severity of shirk, accountability, choice, and punishment vs reward.
• Relevance: This hadith should push us toward sincerity in belief, avoiding shirk, repenting early, and recognizing that what seems “easy” or “fundamental” should not be neglected.

While non Muslims may heed to this Divine caution or remain heedless, we Muslims should also realise that many a time in our life our faith waivers and we get inclined to worldly deities for "speeding up" our prayers to Allah. This is a major sin for a true Muslim approaches Allah directly through his five daily prayers, the Tahajjad prayers and many a supplication mentioned in Qur'an and Hadiths. Let all our acts to be to please Allah and no one else. For if we rest our desires on the shoulders of our superiors, saints and imams, we are committing shirk.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  for more Hadiths on the General Subjects.

For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Source of Hadith | Help taken from ChatGPT for expanding meaning of the Hadith

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing. one may also consult local Muslim Imaan of the masjid for more clarification.

Disclaimer: This post is not intended to "force" preach, convert, or criticize any belief system. The views shared are meant to inspire dialogue, understanding, and reflection. Viewer discretion is advised, especially for those navigating sensitive religious experiences. Always seek knowledge with an open heart and mind.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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A parable in the Qur’an which teaches absurdity of idolatry and worshiping beings other than Allah

Man has always been in competition with his very own Creator and the sole master of the entire universe. Many make hand made idols to represnt their worldly gods as did idolaters did in times of Prophet Ibrahim(Abraha, may peace be upon him) or the people of Israel when the made a cow to represent god and wanted to worship till Prophet Musa (Moses, may peace be upon him) came and destroyed the cow made of gold. 

Many still worship the idols even in present times while others assocate partners with one true God, we Muslims call Allah. Even many a women take human deities as friends of Allah, calling them Wali Allah, and prefer them more than the Allah. Many Muslims worship graves of the dead saints, while many others bow in front of living psudo saints for the redressal of their grievances and woes. It seems not much has changed since the advent of Islam. To caution these misguided, derailed and loose faith people, who commit the great unpardonable sin of shirk (associating / worshipping beings other than Allah, many a ayah / verses in Qur'an talk on the subject of shirk and helplessness of those whom people assocaite with Allah or worship idols.

Today, we share the 73rd verse from Surah Al Hajj, in which Allah explains the sin of shirk and inabaility of those whom people take their deities other than Allah in the shape of a parable as mentioned below.

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسۡتَمِعُوۡا لَهٗ ؕ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ لَنۡ يَّخۡلُقُوۡا ذُبَابًا وَّلَوِ اجۡتَمَعُوۡا لَهٗ​ ؕ وَاِنۡ يَّسۡلُبۡهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيۡـئًـا لَّا يَسۡتَـنۡـقِذُوۡهُ مِنۡهُ​ ؕ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالۡمَطۡلُوۡبُ‏ 

(22:73) "O people! A parable is presented, so listen to it carefully: Indeed, those you call upon besides Allah can never create [even] a fly, even if they all gathered for that purpose. And if the fly were to snatch away anything from them, they could not retrieve it from it. Weak are the pursuer and the pursued!"

The sūrah makes a powerful, universal declaration that all deities people associate with God, including the ones to which the wrongdoers appeal for help, are weak and powerless. Their weakness is shown in a bustling and captivating scene. The address is universal, it includes everyone anywhere in the world, and the declaration is loud and clear: “Mankind!” When people have been gathered to listen, they are told that they are about to be given a statement of a general principle, not a particular case applicable on a certain occasion. “An aphorism is set forth; hearken, then, to it.” It is a statement of fact that applies in all situations: “Those beings whom you invoke instead of God cannot create a fly, even though they were to join all their forces to that end.” All false deities, whether they be idols and statues, human beings, traditions and values, to whom you appeal for support and with whom you seek to achieve victory and high esteem, are incapable of creating a fly, even if they muster all their forces, utilize all their knowledge and channel all their resources into one supreme effort. Indeed, the creation of a mere fly, that small and abject creature, defies all the harnessed powers of such false gods.

Let us expand the meaning of the verse in detail:

Key Points from the Verse:

• Universal Call to Attention
• "O people! A parable is presented, so listen to it carefully..."
• Allah calls upon all people, not just Muslims, to reflect.
• The use of a parable (مثل) indicates a deep lesson wrapped in a simple example.
• Creating a fly is just as impossible, for anyone or thing other than God, as creating a camel or an elephant, because the fly also demonstrates the great secret of life. Hence, it is placed on the same level as camels and elephants, with regard to its miraculous creation. The Qur’ānic aphorism, however, cites the case of a little, insignificant fly in order to generate a more profound feeling of powerlessness, without compromising the underlying principle.
• Helplessness of False gods: The sūrah adds another dimension in describing their powerlessness: “If a fly robs them of anything, they cannot rescue it from him!” False deities, be they idols or humans, cannot retrieve anything from a fly when it robs them of it. Flies can rob people of that which is precious indeed. At the same time, a fly carries agents of some very serious diseases, such as tuberculosis, typhoid, dysentery and conjunctivitis. It can deprive a person of his eyes or other organs, or indeed deprive him of his life. A weak and contemptible fly can rob a human being of what he can never retrieve. Summarising, we now know:
• "Indeed, those you call upon besides Allah can never create [even] a fly..."
• The idols or false deities people pray to cannot create even the smallest creature.
• The fly, one of the weakest and most insignificant creatures, is used to show how powerless these so-called gods are.
• Even More Powerless When Challenged
• "...even if they all gathered for that purpose..."
• Even if all the false gods and their followers united, they still couldn’t create a fly — not even a copy, let alone bring it to life.
• This is a clear argument for Allah’s exclusive power as the Creator.
• Powerlessness Exposed by a Fly
• "And if the fly were to snatch away anything from them, they could not retrieve it from it..."
• Flies are known to take tiny bits of food, yet even that cannot be taken back by these idols.
• Scientifically, once a fly takes something, it partially digests or absorbs it through its enzymes — even modern humans can’t “take it back” in the same form, let alone idols.
• A Final Blow to Idolatry
• "Weak are the pursuer and the pursued."
• The worshipper (طالب) is weak because they are seeking help from a powerless being.
• The idol (مطلوب) is also weak because it cannot even help itself.
• Both are in a relationship of mutual weakness, and futility.

Deeper Reflection:

• This verse is a rational argument against shirk (associating partners with Allah).
• It invites people to use their reason, not just emotion or tradition, when it comes to matters of worship.
• It also reveals the humiliating contrast between the might of Allah and the powerlessness of false gods.
• We nowe how the Qur’ānic style uses facts in the most effective way. Had the text referred to lions and similar wild animals adding that men cannot rescue anything such animals rob them of, it would have generated an air of strength and force, rather than weakness. Besides, the most powerful animals cannot rob man of anything greater than what a fly can rob him of.
• This powerful image stating a clear aphorism concludes with a simple comment: “Weak indeed is the seeker, and weak the sought!”

Foregoing explanation in view, Surah Al-Hajj (22:73) delivers a powerful, logical, and vivid argument: those who are worshiped besides Allah are so powerless that they can’t even match a fly in creation or defense. The parable ends by highlighting the weakness of both the worshippers and the idols — urging people to return to the worship of the One True God who is All-Powerful and Self-Sufficient.

Let us understand the Qur'an through simple explanation, followed by detailed tafseer to know what Qur'an wants us to know and beleive. With such parables and indications, Allah forbids us to follow beings other than He for the worldy deities cannot even make a fly or even the thin covering on the seed of the date. If that be so, then how can they redress our grievances? Let us not act as blinds when Qur'an shows us the light and the way to none but Allah, the Creator and redressal of grievances and provider of the means of sustenances.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎)  help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Understanding Shirk - Grave sin of Associating Partners with Allah (Reference Page)

For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .

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An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

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The Sin of Shirk - Associating Partners with God

Shirk " شرك " an Arabic word meaning "the deification or worship of anyone or anything besides One True God."  Shirk is polytheism, the outright negation of monotheism. It is for this reason, shirk is the most disliked thing by the Almighty Allah, despite He being the Most Merciful and immensely Forgiving.

In the Qur'an, there are many verses that very clearly state that God does not share His powers with any partner and warns those who believe their idols or worldly deities will intercede for them that they, together with the worldly deities, will become fuel for hellfire on the Day of Judgment. In the following verse 33 taken from Surah 13 Ra'ad, the man has been cautioned against committing shirk:

اَفَمَنۡ هُوَ قَآئِمٌ عَلٰى كُلِّ نَفۡسٍۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ​ۚ وَجَعَلُوۡالِلّٰهِ شُرَكَآءَ ؕ قُلۡ سَمُّوۡهُمۡ​ؕ اَمۡ تُنَـبِّـئُـوْنَهٗ بِمَا لَا يَعۡلَمُ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ اَمۡ بِظَاهِرٍ مِّنَ الۡقَوۡلِؕ بَلۡ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا مَكۡرُهُمۡ وَصُدُّوۡا عَنِ السَّبِيۡلِ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يُّضۡلِلِ اللّٰهُ فَمَا لَهٗ مِنۡ هَادٍ‏ 

"Is it, then, in regard to Him Who watches over the deeds of every person that they are acting blasphemously by setting up His associates? Tell them: "Name those associates (if Allah Himself has made them His associates)! Or are you informing Allah of something the existence of which He does not even know?" Or do people arbitrarily utter empty words? Indeed, their foul contriving has been made to seem fair to the unbelievers and they have been barred from finding the Right Way. Whomsoever Allah lets go astray will have none to guide him."

That is, the disbelievers are so audacious that they set up partners with Allah Whose knowledge is All-Comprehensive and Who is aware of even the minutest details of the good and bad actions of each individual. These are the audacious things they do. They ascribe partners and equals to Him. They believe that some of His creatures are a part and parcel of His Being, and have attributes and rights like Him. They presume that they shall not be called to account for whatever they do, even though they live in His kingdom.

You give empty names to the partners you ascribe to Him for you have no real knowledge about them. For you could get this knowledge only in one of the three following ways.

• First, you might have received some authentic information that Allah had made such and such people as His partners in His attributes, powers and rights. If it is so, let us also know their names and the source of your information.
• Second, the possibility that Allah might have remained ignorant that some beings have become His partners. Therefore you are going to inform Him about this. If it is so, say it clearly in so many words so that it may be decided whether there are some foolish people who can believe in such a nonsensical claim.
• Third, obviously the above two suppositions are absurd. Therefore the only alternative is that, you are ascribing partners to Him without any rhyme or reason, and you, without any knowledge, make one the relative of God, another the hearer of supplications, and still another the helper and fulfiller of certain needs and the ruler of a certain region etc.

Shirk has been called fraud because none of the angels, spirits, saints, heavenly bodies, to whom they ascribe divine attributes and powers or render divine rights, ever claimed to possess these attributes or powers. Neither did they ever demand these rights from the people nor told the people that they would fulfill their desires and wants if they would perform some rituals of worship before them. As a matter of fact, some clever people invented these gods in order to practice willful deception and dishonesty so that they might wield powerful influence over the common people and exploit them and deprive them of a part of their hard earned possessions. Accordingly, they made the common people credulous followers of the gods of their inventions and set themselves up as their representatives to get money, etc. from them by this fraud.

The second reason why shirk has been called fraud is that a worldly man pretends to believe in it not because he wants to believe in it but in order to free himself from all moral restraints to enable him to lead an irresponsible life of greed and lust.

In Surah 12. Yusuf, verse 40 Allah warns yet again:

'You have but to name your false gods, and you will see that they are nothing but names. There is no reality behind them, whereas Allah is the One great Reality. He penetrates everything through and through and knows all things. Do you dare to tell Him of something on earth that He does not know? Or is it just a trick or a show of words?

All pretenses and fancies seem attractive to their inventors, but alas! They are a great obstruction to the Path of Religion and Truth. However, if by their contumacy, they have cut themselves off from Allah's grace, who can guide them or reclaim them from their errors?

Here in the verse 36 of Surah Ar'ad, the mention is made of the people who were earlier given Divine Scriptures and yet they associated others with God not only as partners and associates but as equals:

( 36 )   And [the believers among] those to whom We have given the [previous] Scripture rejoice at what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], but among the [opposing] factions are those who deny part of it. Say, "I have only been commanded to worship Allah and not associate [anything] with Him. To Him I invite, and to Him is my return."

This is in reply to a specific objection which was then raised by the disbelievers. They would say: If he has brought the same message that was brought by the Messengers before him (as he claims), why don’t the Jews and the Christians who are the followers of the former Prophets come forward and welcome it? The verse answers the objection and says that the true followers of the former Prophets really rejoice in the message of the Quran, but the false ones have been offended by it. Then it asks the Prophet (peace be upon him) not to worry at all about this, saying: O Prophet, you should not mind at all whether they are pleased or offended by it. Tell them plainly that this is the guidance I have received from my Lord and I will follow it at all costs.

Among all sections of the people there are persons who would receive a portion of Allah's truth but reject whatever does not suit them or fall in with their selfish aims or vain desires. The proper answer to them is: Surely, Allah's command is universal,-to worship and serve Him and refuse to bend the knee to any other; the man of God finds his staff and support in it; but he must invite all to share in its blessings; it came from Allah, and to Allah shall we all return.

In Surah 9 At Tauba, verse 31, a more specific mention of people is made who associate others with Allah:

اِتَّخَذُوۡۤا اَحۡبَارَهُمۡ وَرُهۡبَانَهُمۡ اَرۡبَابًا مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ وَالۡمَسِيۡحَ ابۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ​ ۚ وَمَاۤ اُمِرُوۡۤا اِلَّا لِيَـعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلٰهًا وَّاحِدًا​ ۚ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ​ ؕ سُبۡحٰنَهٗ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُوۡنَ‏ 

“They (Jews and Christians) took their Rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah), and (they also took as their lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded (in the Torah and the Gospel) to worship none but One Ilâh (God i.e., Allah), Lâ ilâha illâ Huwa (none has the right to be worshiped but He). Praise and Glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).”

“They have taken their rabbis and monks as their lords”. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself explained its true significance. According to a tradition, when Adi bin Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him), who was formerly a Christian, came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) with the intention of understanding Islam, he asked several questions in order to remove his doubts. One of these was: “This verse accuses us of taking our scholars and monks as our lords. What is its real meaning. For we do not take them as our lords.”

As a reply to this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) put him a counter question: “Is it not a fact that you accept as unlawful what they declare to be unlawful, and lawful what they declare to be lawful?” Adi confessed, “Yes, it is so.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “This amounts to making them your lords.” Incidentally, this tradition shows that those who themselves set limits to the lawful and the unlawful without the authority of Allah’s Book, assume for themselves the rank of godhead, and those who acknowledge their right of making laws take them as their lords.

It should be noted that they have been charged with (a) attributing sons to Allah, and (b) giving the right of making laws to others than Allah. These are to prove that their claim that they believed in Allah is false, even though they should believe in His existence. But such a wrong conception of Allah makes their belief in Allah meaningless.

And here comes the plain warning:

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ اَنۡ يُّشۡرَكَ بِهٖ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُوۡنَ ذٰ لِكَ لِمَنۡ يَّشَآءُ​ ۚ وَمَنۡ يُّشۡرِكۡ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدِ افۡتَـرٰۤى اِثۡمًا عَظِيۡمًا‏  

"Surely Allah does not forgive that a partner be ascribed to Him, although He forgives any other sins for whomever He wills. He who associates anyone with Allah in His divinity has indeed forged a mighty lie and committed an awesome sin." (4:48) 

Shirk thus is  the most unforgivable crime if it remains unpardoned before death: Allah may forgive any sin if one dies in that state except for committing shirk. Owing to the gravity of associating partners with Allah, shirk became legally equivalent to kufr (unbelief ) in fiqh (Islāmic jurisprudence), Those Muslims who profess it are considered outlaws who should be ousted from the Muslim community; all their legal rights are suspended until they denounce their polytheistic beliefs.

May Allah help us understand Qur'an and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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Reading the Holy Quran should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the Sūrahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. 

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Exegesis by Maulana Mufti Muhammad Sharif, revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi  Usmani
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid

In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given in each page. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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